The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has promised to revive as well as start the full implementation of the state’s scholarship programme for indigenes of the state in tertiary institutions.
Ayade disclosed this at the State Executive Council Chambers in Calabar during a courtesy visit by the leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Students Union Government and the Law Students Association of the University of Calabar, as well as Students Union Government of the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) and the National Association of Northern Cross River Students.
Disclosing this to the excitement of the students, Ayade said, “I will initiate, institute and operate a full scholarship programme for young Cross Riverians in higher institutions. Here I am committing that Cross River State Government will start the full implementation of a scholarship programme ”
Ayade, who also spoke of his plan to reactivate and expand his own scholarship scheme to cover the entire state, said: “For all that God has given to me and all the blessings as a person, the Ayade scholarship programme that has always been running, will come back in full force from this year.”
The Governor, who whilst a senator instituted a scholarship programme for indigent students from his Northern Senatorial District, announced his decision to enlarge its scope to the rest of the state.
“The Ayade scholarship programme is going to be statewide and will be drawn from my private businesses and nothing to do with government,” he said, adding that “those who are not lucky to get from the government scholarship will be lucky to get from the Ayade scholarship programme, for it is when you give back to society that society will be there for you.”
While imploring the students to be morally upright, the Governor cautioned them never to materialise or monetise their relationships, saying “the greatest relationship between people is emotional. When you put your eyes on value, money will come naturally, but once your focus is on money, value will depart and the money will never come.”
Continuing, Ayade said, “as young people with great opportunity for leadership, whatever comes from your word, every single word of yours defines your future. Character, therefore, defines a personality as no fatalism can arrogate the supremacy of the future on the hands of mere destiny.”
“Destination is an architectural process by the intellectual engineering of a person through the attainment of a Godhead which means you, your attitude designs your future,” he said.
The Governor urged the students to give undivided attention to their studies and shun cultism.
“When I find a student who takes pleasure in cultism to take a life for a living, that is an animal because he has descended beyond the level of humanity,” the Governor quipped.
Earlier, the Presidents of the various students’ bodies had applauded the Governor’s magnanimity and benevolence, especially in the prompt response to the welfare of ailing students, the industrialisation drive aimed at decoupling the state from dependence on federal allocation, as well as setting Cross River on a trajectory growth.
Highlights of the visit was the decoration and conferment of the title, “Commander of the Order of Malabor,” on Governor Ayade by the SUG President of the University of Calabar, Comrade Moses Derrick.

Friday Nwagbara, Calabar